The Malaysian chapter of the world human rights organisation Amnesty International has expressed concerns over the death of DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock while in the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

Executive director Nora Murat said that Teoh’s death was not an isolated incident as many other deaths in custody have been reported recently.

“It raises a serious concern in terms of gap in human rights protection observed by the law enforcement authorities and accountability mechanism to address death in custody.

“Therefore, there is an urgent and critical need to address human rights obligation in terms of law enforcement work in Malaysia,” Nora said in a statement today.

She added that law enforcement agencies and initiatives must exercise a high degree of human rights responsibility, and prioritise and internalise procedures in ensuring a person’s personal security and rights at all times.

“They are duty bound to ensure that a suspect or witness is provided with protection of their personal security and rights including their right to legal access and medical attention during the entire period of custody and investigation.

“This fundamental right has somehow remained discretionary, ad hoc and secondary in the nature of law enforcement work in Malaysia,” she added.

She further said that the failure to prioritise and dutifully ensure human rights protection in law enforcement was the major contributing factor for deaths in custody in Malaysia.Public confidence shattered

She also said that the continuing deaths in custody have undermined public confidence in the enforcement agencies.

“Amnesty International Malaysia also calls for a royal commission to investigate all other cases of death in custody including the recent death of Teoh Beng Hock and to address gaps in the current law enforcement system in view of providing critical reform and change in our system,” she said.

Teoh, 30, the political secretary to Selangor exco member Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead last Friday.

He had been picked up on Thursday about 5pm for questioning by the Selangor MACC in relation to a probe into the spending of constituency funds.

His body was found at about 1.30pm the next day on the fifth floor balcony at the building in which the MACC is housed in Shah Alam. He was buried yesterday.

PAS vice-president Husam Musa has confirmed that he will contest the deputy president’s post, now held by Nasharuddin Mt Isa, during the party polls early next month.

Fellow vice-president Mohammad Sabu is also a candidate for the post.

It will no easy task for Husam to dislodge Nasharuddin, said to be in the pro-muqabalah faction which favours forging relationships with the rival Umno rather than strengthening ties within Pakatan Rakyat.

While Nasharuddin is a religious scholar, Husam is an economist who does not appear to have the Islamic credentials required to lead the party.

Breaking months of silence, Husam made the announcement at a press conference this morning at the party headquarters in Jalan Raja Laut, Kuala Lumpur.

Seen as being in the Pro-Pakatan Rakyat or ‘Erdogan’ faction, Husam cautioned party members “not to dance to Umno’s tune, some particular media and the outsiders” who want to influence the results for the party leadership.

Erdogan refers to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is known to be a moderate Islamic leader.

Husam said he is confident of his ability to be a good leader – one who can support and complement party president, Abdul Hadi Awang in leading PAS to develop politically and replace Umno as the main political party in the near future.

“After considering all aspects, including the aspirations of the various PAS areas which have nominated me, I have decided to accept the nomination as a candidate for the deputy presidency for the 2009-11 term,” he said.

Given the realities of politics today, he said, this could be an opportune time for PAS to replace Umno as the dominant political party. However, this can only be achieved if PAS remains a rival to Umno and not an ally in any form.

“The trust that non-Muslims have placed in PAS is flourishing, and we should not betray such trust in the context of dakwah or political strength. We can become a party that is trusted along with our allies in Pakatan, and stand tall with them,” he said.
Formal announcement tomorrow

Asked whether his decision to challenge Nasharuddin and Mohammad is a firm one or if this is open to a compromise, Husam responded that he had taken a long time to arrive at the decision.

“It (my intention) to contest is final,” he said.

Asked to explain the ‘unity government’ concept suggested by Abdul Hadi (right), Husam declined to do so, saying he does not want to be drawn into a complex topic.

As to whether he sees himself as a liberal leader, Husam commented that Nasharudin has been liberal – “at times too liberal when leaning towards Umno, and this cannot be accepted”.

“In my opinion, PAS needs to be in the centre, and we need not be too open to Umno or save Umno,” he said.

Asked to comment on the views of deputy spiritual leader Dr Haron Din (left) who has warned the party about “traitors” within, Husam attributed this to being Haron’s “personal view”.

“I know that the paper he presented (at a seminar) was his own… If it has yet to be accepted… we don’t need to debate or comment on it,” he said.

On Saturday, Haron had warned members to be wary of PAS leaders who are sponsored by “enemies including Umno and foreign agents”who may be playing a part in the upcoming party elections.

He had suggested that the party tightens the mechanism of choosing leaders in order to stop the “traitors” from rising up the ranks.

Meanwhile, information chief Mahfuz Omar has confirmed he will mount a challenge for one of the three slots for vice-president, now that Mohamad and Husam are vacating their posts.

“I am not representing any faction but just interested in serving the party and lifting it to greater heights,” Mahfuz said.

The party is expected to hold a press conference tomorrow at which the candidacy for all posts will be formally announced.

The continued arrest of those who don black and light candles to mourn the ‘demise of democracy’ has failed to deter opposition politicians and activists from pressing on with their agenda.

MCPX

Barely 24 hours after 11 more were picked up – including two DAP elected reps – two more vigils have been organised to be held tonight and tomorrow.

The politicians and activists are demanding the dissolution of the Perak state assembly in order for a fresh election to be held.

The northern state has been in political turmoil since Barisan Nasional seized control of the administration following the defections of three Pakatan Rakyat assemblypersons.

Last night, the police arrested DAP politicians Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching and Teratai state assemblyperson Jenice Lee as well as nine party workers.

The group held a vigil held outside the office of DAP Seputeh MP Teresa Kok in Kuala Lumpur to showcase their dissatisfaction.

However, the police accused them of staging an illegal assembly. All 11 were released this morning.

Since May 5, a total of 126 people, including politicians, have been arrested for wearing black and celebrating the birthday of murdered Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.

It was the second time in as many weeks that Lee was arrested. She was detained by the police in Ipoh on May 7 outside the Perak state assembly when it held its controversial meeting.

Civil society groups have condemned the action, saying: “It is ridiculous that Malaysians now seem to have lost their right to choose what colour they can wear and to light candles.”

Tonight’s vigil will be held at Sri Kembangan outside the service centre of DAP’s Teo, while tomorrow’s event will take place outside Lee’s office in Ampang.

‘Of candles and KFC’

Asked at a press conference today if the vigils would continue in view of the arrests, a defiant Lee replied: “We (will) only end the vigils when Najib ends (the political crisis).”

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has been credited with masterminding the BN takeover in Perak.

A visibly vexed Lee stressed that lighting candles is a right.

“If you deny our right to light up candles, it is like you denying our right to eat KFC.”

Lee also accused the police of selective ‘colour-based’ arrest.

“Most of the people who came last night did not wear black but only the ones who wore black got arrested. So how can you justify this?

“If you are not allowed to have an assembly, then would you arrest people at a night market or even at a bus stop – if there are more than three people waiting for a bus?

“So what does this mean? The law itself is not just. The law is there to protect us and not to limit or deny our freedom.”

Focus on fighting crime

DAP publicity chief and PJ Utara MP Tony Pua called on the police to concentrate on fighting crime instead of launching crackdowns on candlelight vigils.

“Last night’s arrests serve only to remind the public of how obtuse the Royal Malaysia Police has become. It was a low-key candlelight vigil. And yet in a remarkable show of force, a nearly 100-strong police team swooped on the gathering,” he said in a statement.

With a tinge of sarcasm, he added: “While DAP fully appreciates the effort by the police to grant some of the party’s low-profile activities instantaneous nationwide publicity, we strongly condemn police intimidation and oppression.”

He said the police should instead focus on its job at hand to fight rampant crime across the country which in the past three weeks have reached an incredulous state when victims have included MCA president Ong Tee Keat and the political secretary to the deputy premier himself.

“The police even suffered their greatest ignominy in recent years when the Johor Bahru OCPD ACP Zainuddin Yaakob was tied up and robbed at knife point in his own house,” he added.

In view of this, Pua called on inspector-general of police Musa Hassan to apologise to the detainees and all Malaysians for wrongful detention and for acting against the prime minister’s call for ‘1Malaysia’.

In addition, he said Najib must carry out his promise of ‘People First, Performance Now’ by finally fulfilling BN’s promise to set up the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission.